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CREAKE (SOUTH), a large village and parish, pleasantly situated in a fertile vale on the Fakenham road, 4 miles S. of Burnham Market, is in Brothercross hundred, Smithdon and Brothercross petty sessional division, Docking union, Fakenham county court district, Norwich bankruptcy district, Docking polling district of West Norfolk, Burnham rural deanery, and Norfolk archdeaconry. It had a population of 976 in 1881, and has a rateable value of £6360 5s. It comprises 4065 acres of land, belonging to Marquis Townshend, Davy T. Belding, Esq., and some smaller proprietors. The Earl of Leicester owns the large farm called Leicester Square (800A.), distant a mile south of the village.
About half a mile S.W. of the church is a remarkable Danish entrenchment, the road to which is still called Bloodgate, from a tradition that a great battle was fought there between the Saxons and Danes.
The CHURCH (Virgin Mary) is a spacious structure, comprising nave with aisles and clerestory, chancel, south porch, and short square tower with 5 bells. It is mostly in the Perpendicular style, but the fine west window is of transitional Decorated character, and the windows at the ends of the aisles are of the Decorated period, and contain some ancient stained glass. The rood screen is still preserved, and in the chancel are remains of the sedilia and piscina. There are also piscinæ at the east ends of the aisles, where there were formerly chapels. The nave has a fine open timber roof with full-length figures of angels on the spandrils.
The discharged vicarage was certified at £35, and is in the patronage of Marquis Townshend, who is also impropriator of the great tithes, which have been commuted for £675. The Rev. Isaac Bowman, M.A., is the incumbent, and has a yearly tithe rent-charge of £440, and a good vicarage house.
The Independents have a neat chapel here, with a residence for the minister.
In 1640 Dorothy Woodhouse left 20s. a year to the minister, and 30s. to the poor, charged on 8½A. of land. In consequence of the non-payment of these rent-charges, the trustees obtained possession of the land in 1692, and it is now let for £20 per annum, which, after the above named payments have been made, is applied towards the support of the National School, as also are £12, the rent of 10A. 20P. of land, called old poor's land, given by unknown donors.
Two legacies of £100, left by Isaac Lane, in 1669, and Elizabeth Pell, in 1730, were laid out in the purchase of 14A. of land in this parish, and 8A. in Terrington St. John, now yielding together a clear yearly income of £55, of which £15 are given to the National School, and the remainder is distributed amongst the poor in coal and bread. In 1860, 700 acres of open land were enclosed, and 23A. were allotted to the poor, and are now let for £24 per annum, which is distributed in coals.
The National School was rebuilt in 1859-60, at a cost of about £200, and is attended by 224 children. The Town House has been added to the School Room, but another has been hired by the trustees in lieu of the old one.
POST OFFICE at Mr. Thomas Oliver's. Letters despatched, viâ Fakenham, at 4.45 p.m. week days only.
Anderton Thos. inland revenue officer Belding Davy T. Esq. Bowman Rev. Isaac, M.A. vicar Cartwright Llewellyn grocer & draper Chastney Bennaton bootmaker Cook George Ringer farmer, Manor hs Crane Miss Mary Jane baker Crisp Robert beerhouse Dawson George bricklayer and mason Eagling John beer retailer Freezer James farmer Griggs James farmer, Leicester square Harris Alban schoolmaster Harrison George beerhouse Hastings Alfred victualler, Chequers Hastings Edward tailor Hastings Frederick butcher Howell Benjamin blacksmith; h North Creake Hunter Henry beerhouse Hurn James beerhouse Keeble Wm. beerhs. shopkpr. & whlwrt Lane William Baxter auctioneer and estate agent and farmer; and King's Lynn Limness Jno. Seaman horse slaughterer Limness William farmer and dealer Northam Rev. Jacob J. (Independent) Oliver Edward maltster and brewer Oliver Thomas grocer, draper, postmaster, and farmer Plane Dawson baker and shopkeeper Playford William bricklayer Sherringham Edwin butcher & baker Sherringham Hubert Valentine farmer Strangleman Geo. frmr. and Fakenham Smalls Alfred builder & wheelwright Walker George blacksmith Wasey Charles builder Wasey Frederick grocer and draper Wasey James baker Wasey Thomas bootmaker Webster William carrier Whisker George blacksmith Whisker John blacksmith Young Frankling bootmaker and parish clerk
CARRIER - William Webster, to Fakenham daily
"The Primitive Methodists are building a chapel here."
Copyright © Pat Newby.
January 2005